Drug suspect charged in Allentown shooting

A Bethlehem man survived a head wound, police say.

A 25-year-old man already in jail on drug charges now faces attempted homicide charges for allegedly shooting a Bethlehem man in the back of his head in Allentown, police said.

Darius George, with no current address, was arrested Dec. 27 on charges of giving false identification, having crack cocaine and planning to deliver it. That was the night Allentown police found Hason Lewis, 24, wounded in the 400 block of N. Third Street.

Police said George lied to them about his identity and had 75 grams of crack in an apartment where he was staying.

Officers entered the apartment at 301 N. Ninth St. because they had information the gunman might be inside.

An investigation revealed that George shot Lewis, police said.

George was charged last Wednesday with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, illegally having a firearm and discharging a firearm into an occupied structure or vehicle.

He has been in Lehigh County Prison since the shooting.

Bail is $250,000 on the attempted homicide charges and $50,000 on the drug charges.

Last week, while officers investigated the shooting, they arrested an Allentown man after they saw him throw away a gun, police said.

Malik Yow, 28, was charged with illegally having a handgun, carrying a gun without a license and receiving stolen property and sent to the county prison.

According to court records, police at 301 N. Ninth last Wednesday morning saw Yow run down a rear stairwell and put something in a pile of garbage.

Police said they found a white plastic bag that contained two boxes of 9 mm ammunition and a stolen 9 mm handgun.

Assistant Chief Ron Manescu said the gun is being tested to see if it was used in the shooting.